2010 prospect camp: colour me excited !!!

well, it's fine time for me to do the following:
a) start writing on this here site regularly once again
b) stop being so goshdarned negative about the moves darryl's been making
c) learn to stop worrying and love my team

monday heralds the start prospect camp which has historically been my absolute favorite time of year. [that last link is a gem, btw....] there's truly nothing like ducking into the cold, quiet saddledome to watch the baby flames run some drills, and get a feel for their potential, current skills & personalities. camp historically runs the week after stampede or, alternately, the week after the week after stampede ---and this year is no different. it just feels a whole lot later because we didn't start parading until july 9th as opposed to the greatest outdoor show on earth's general rule of beginning"the first friday of july."

this year there are alot of ahl-level guys who won't suit up for summer session; prospect camp is considered a development camp (not an evaluation camp), and only the players on their first pro contracts are invited. this means that this year, we don't get to see the likes of matt pelech, gord baldwin, brett sutter, and there will be a new "worst decisionmaker" on the ice since kris chucko ain't gonna be around....

i really look forward to checking out how far tj brodie, mitch wahl, and my boy lance bouma (lancey-pants wears tömi mäki's #57, which automatically makes him my favorite) have come in the past ten months since rookie/training camp. i'm also curious to see if mickis looks head and shoulders above his peers (like dustin boyd did one year ago), and if john armstrong can prove me right by playing well and staying healthy.... other dudes i'm excited about are negrin, erixon, ortio, and marvin. i must admit that the newest crop of draftees don't interest me much, but perhaps by the end of next week i'll have changed my tune... ?

roster here

schedule here

see you guys at the 'dome. personally, i kinda can't wait to see that one super crazy annoying dude who goes every year.... it's like homecoming !!!

and no, i don't mean kent. ;)